Publishers asked for small and waivable fee as Comedy Women in Print prize opens for fourth year 

The Comedy Women in Print prize has opened for entries for its fourth year, with publishers being asked to donate £20 per entry to enable the prize to stay afloat.

Due to rising costs and the prize surviving on donations and founder Helen Lederer’s time, the comedian has this year decided to ask for a small donation from publishers with the proviso “that if a lack of funds would prevent an author being submitted” the fee would “of course be waived". Entries to the unpublished category will continue to be free.

Lederer told The Bookseller: “With some prizes closing down, losing their sponsors, or taking a break, it was with trepidation that I went forward again with CWIP as we survive on donations and my time. But I couldn’t give it up. Too much was attached to it. Now more than ever most of us are bracing for a new poverty – for the first time we have had to invite publishers to donate £20 per entry with the proviso that if a lack of funds would prevent an author being submitted, we would of course waive that fee.”

Now open for submissions from closing on Friday 14th October, the prize, launched in 2019, aims to spotlight female comedy writing and to celebrate both fresh and established talent. A legacy award for Adrian Mole author Sue Townsend will also commemorate the 40th anniversary of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ (Penguin) next year. 

Last year’s winners were Jesse Sutanto, who won the Published Comedy Novel award for Dial A for Aunties (HQ), and Rebecca Rogers, who won in the Unpublished category for The Purgatory Poisoning (due to be published by HarperCollins in 2023). 

Lederer added: “More than ever before we need to find the things that can provide joy with minimal cost. For the cost of a book – our mood changes. Sharing a humorous understanding with another connecting witty writer can stave off loneliness to the reader. We are not alone. Life is ridiculous. And ridiculing the pain makes it bearable.

“CWIP is about to receive entries for its fourth year which is both a relief and a leap – especially in the current climate of book prizes closing down and taking a break. But I decided I wasn’t ready to put it to bed – when we had only just got started.

“The winner of the unpublished prize gets published, so we already have three published novels to our name. Knowing that longlisted authors also attract agents and publishing deals made it an even bigger thing to give up. When Penguin approached me about the 40th anniversary of Sue Townsend’s Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13 ¾, with a new foreword by Caitlin Moran, I knew CWIP had to continue — if only to curate a ‘legacy award’ for pioneering satirical comic writing.

“Sometimes I feel like a one-woman band – to amplify women’s wit – but when you hear that it does make a difference, it is encouraging.” Details on how to apply can be found here.